A BRIDGE to Wantage and Grove's past has been solemnly pulled down.

The original road bridge which carried cars over Brunel's Great Western Railway in Grove throughout the 20th century was demolished this weekend.

Network Rail contractors worked from Friday night through to the small hours of Monday tearing away the brickwork then pulling down the metal beneath.

The rail infrastructure firm had to 'take possession' of the railway over the entire weekend to stop trains running through Grove.

Network Rail spokesman Matthew Thompson said: "It was a total success, all complete done on time as expected.

"Our contractors were able to demolish the old bridge and take out what they needed to."

In order to do the job, Network Rail also closed the new road bridge which was built last year to replace the old one.

Drivers were prevented from using the A338 from 10pm on Friday, and the road was due to reopen at 6am on Monday, but Mr Thompson said it was open again by 1am.

Some small works now remain to take away the last bits of the old bridge, he said, but nothing that will require the road or railway to be shut again.

Network Rail demolished the old bridge and built a new one a few feet higher to make way for new overhead electric wires on the line beneath.

The Grove bridge is one of 28 in Oxfordshire which have had to be rebuilt or modified as part of the electrification of the Great Western Mainline.

The company says electrification will enable it to run bigger, faster, more reliable and more environmentally-friendly trains.

Network Rail contractors started building the new Grove bridge in November 2014 and it opened it to the first cars in June.

The company originally planned to close the A338, the busiest road in and out of Wantage and Grove, for up to six months to demolish the old bridge and build the new one in its place.

But, after an uproar of opposition from local residents and councillors, Wantage MP Ed Vaizey waded in and persuaded the rail firm to find another way.

As a result, the new bridge was built next to the old one, swerving dramatically to the east.